Middlesex, Worcester county residents die from swine flu

Wednesday

Jul 29, 2009 at 12:01 AMJul 29, 2009 at 8:03 AM

A 62-year-old Middlesex County resident and a 53-year-old from Worcester County have died from swine flu, state health officials said, bringing the total number of Bay State residents succumbing to the virus to seven.

Michael Morton

A 62-year-old Middlesex County resident and a 53-year-old from Worcester County have died from swine flu, state health officials said, bringing the total number of Bay State residents succumbing to the virus to seven.

The Department of Public Health confirmed that both victims suffered underlying medical conditions, but an agency spokeswoman said she could not provide gender, hometowns or other details of the cases for privacy reasons.

Area hospitals and boards of health contacted said they did not have information on the most recent deaths from swine flu, also known as H1N1. The previous five victims lived in Boston and Worcester, with most also suffering underlying medical conditions.

Each year, 36,000 Americans die from seasonal flu. While the majority of H1N1 cases have not required hospitalization, health officials are worried that the virus could turn more potent when seasonal flu returns later this year. Summer deaths from seasonal flu are rare.

Framingham Health Director Ethan Mascoop said the recent deaths were not unexpected, though "we would love it if we didn't have any." He said the town and MetroWest Medical Center were likely to see H1N1 deaths in the coming months.

"We have no reason to expect it will be any different," Mascoop said.

Roughly 60 percent of H1N1 cases in the state have been recorded in residents under 18, but only one child - a Worcester 13-year-old - has died.

The Department of Public Health has warned that children under 2, adults over 65, pregnant women and residents with asthma, diabetes and heart disease are at particular risk of flu complications.

To keep flu from spreading, health officials have asked residents to cover their coughs with tissues or cough into their sleeves, wash hands frequently with soap and warm water or alcohol-based sanitizer, stay home from work if sick, and keep children with flu-like symptoms home for at least seven days.

The state has also stockpiled 350,000 doses of anti-viral medication and is preparing for a possible H1N1 vaccination campaign to complement existing clinics for seasonal flu shots.

"We don't want people to be lax," Mascoop said. "We want them to be prudently vigilant."

MetroWest Daily News writer Michael Morton can be reached at mmorton@cnc.com or 508-626-4338.